Think living near Manhattan means sky-high rent and endless apartment hunting stress? Think again. Just across the Hudson River, New Jersey offers a mix of budget-friendly neighborhoods that are surprisingly close to the city. With reliable train, PATH, and ferry connections, you can enjoy lower housing costs, more space, and an easy commute into Manhattan—all within 30 minutes. Here are five of the most affordable New Jersey neighborhoods with direct public transit routes to NYC, offering the perfect balance of value and convenience. 1. Journal Square (Jersey City) Average Rent: ~$2,100/month for a 1BR Transit: PATH train to 33rd Street or World Trade Center Commute Time to Manhattan: 20–25 minutes Journal Square is an up-and-coming neighborhood in Jersey City, offering some of the lowest rents in the area with a direct PATH line into Manhattan. While it’s not as polished as downtown Jersey City, it’s rapidly developing, with new residential towers and retail spaces reshapin...